The Net Zero carbon accommodation was formally opened this week at the Defence School of Transport (DST) in Leconfield. DST is the largest residential driver training school in the world, providing driver and transport management training to military personnel from the Army, RAF and Royal Marines, as well as support to global operations.
The two new multi-occupancy buildings, which were delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) for the Army in just nine months, will accommodate students completing short courses at DST. Built by offsite construction specialist Reds10, the blocks provide 112 bedspaces across two-to-three-person rooms, alongside ablutions, drying and utility rooms. The accommodation also incorporates sustainable features, supporting the Army's contribution to UK Government targets for Net Zero by 2050. These include rooftop solar panels, air source heat pumps and heat recovery systems. SMART building technology is also installed in both buildings and will provide detailed information on their energy usage, to better understand emerging trends and lead to increased efficiency.
Brigadier Richard Brown, Head of Infra Plans, cuts the ribbon to formally open Langrune Block - one of two new multi-occupancy short course accommodation blocks at the Defence School of Transport, Leconfield (Mon 26 June 2023). Copyright DST Leconfield.
Baroness Goldie, Minister of State in the House of Lords said:
Enhancing the Defence estate with new infrastructure offers significant opportunities to support our people while protecting the environments in which they live, work and train. The delivery of modern, sustainable accommodation at DST Leconfield is an important step on the path to Net Zero for the Army and wider Defence.
The official opening ceremony for the new accommodation took place at Normandy Barracks on Monday 26 June and was attended by representatives of the Army, DST Leconfield, DIO and Reds10.
Brigadier Richard Brown, Head of Infra Plans said:
I am delighted to open this sustainable short course accommodation for DST Leconfield, which has been delivered as part of our expansive and ongoing investment to enhance living conditions across the Army estate. I have been very impressed not only by the speed of delivery of these buildings, but by the high-quality finish of the interior, which demonstrates the Army's enduring commitment to provide the infrastructure that our people need and deserve.
Warren Webster, DIO MPP Programme Director - Army said:
I am hugely grateful to the project team, DST Leconfield and Reds10 for their efforts to ensure the prompt and successful delivery of this project for military personnel. The short timeframe in which this project was completed demonstrates the proven potential of modular construction, as an exemplary solution to meet the Army's requirement, achieve sustainable efficiencies and to deliver value for money for Defence.
Colonel Chris Henson QGM, Commandant of the Defence School of Transport said:
We are delighted that these new buildings are now ready for occupation. The rooms have been finished to an exceptional standard and will provide improved comfort and convenience for military personnel who undertake short courses here at DST Leconfield.
Phil Cook, Reds10 Defence Sector Lead, said:
We are very proud to hand these buildings over to DST Leconfield. Drawing on our work alongside DIO on the award-winning Net-Zero Accommodation Programme (NetCAP), we have been able to continue our partnership with the British Army to make the building design compliant for the Built Estate, while retaining sustainability at its heart. We are looking forward to seeing the building used in the years to come.
Representatives of the Army, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the Defence School of Transport (DST) and Reds10, pictured at the official opening of new multi-occupancy Net Zero short course accommodation at DST Leconfield on Monday 26 June 2023/ Copyright DST Leconfield.
The opening ceremony at DST was followed by a visit to the Reds10 factory in Driffield to view sample Temporary Accommodation Units (TAUs). This was followed on Tuesday 27 June with a second visit to ESS Modular in Hull, to view the completed Single Living Accommodation (SLA) modular prototype product, designed to improve living conditions, comfort and functionality, now ready for user testing by service personnel.
Darren Walker, SLA Sector Lead at ESS Modular, said:
We are proud to have welcomed representatives of the Army and DIO to our Hull production facility where we are manufacturing an innovative new generation of modular living accommodation which will support the wellbeing and comfort of our military personnel, while making a major contribution to the sustainable modernisation of the UK's Defence estate.
Rather than lengthy onsite construction, Reds10 and ESS Modular use 3D volumetric offsite modular construction, incorporating features based on feedback from existing building occupants in the design of future buildings, to continually improve the 'lived experience' of Armed Forces personnel.
In addition to the multi-occupancy short course accommodation already completed at DST, the Army is exploring opportunities to make use of these innovative buildings elsewhere, with the Armour Centre, Bovington already selected as the location for the second building of this type.
Under its Single Living Accommodation Programme, the Army is investing £1.2bn in new bedspaces over 10 years.
